Marcell Harris, Laremy Tunsil, Kain Daub just a few of top recruits expected at LSU-Florida today

RICARDO BUXEDA-RAMIREZ / ORLANDO SENTINEL

Daytona Beach Mainland LB and University of Florida pledge Quinton Powell has been trying to coerce his friend, Dr. Phillips safety Marcell Harris, to join him in the Gators' 2013 recruiting class. Both will be at The Swamp for today's UF matchup with LSU.

Daytona Beach Mainland LB and University of Florida pledge Quinton Powell has been trying to coerce his friend, Dr. Phillips safety Marcell Harris, to join him in the Gators' 2013 recruiting class. Both will be at The Swamp for today's UF matchup with LSU. (RICARDO BUXEDA-RAMIREZ / ORLANDO SENTINEL)

By Chris Hays | Orlando Sentinel

The Florida Gators will be looking to impress several dozen top-tier recruits today when they host LSU in a key SEC showdown that is also the big draw for UF's biggest recruiting weekend of the season.

Top 2013 high school prospects like Orlando Dr. Phillips safety Marcell Harris (6-1, 201), Lake City Columbia offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (6-6, 295) and Jacksonville Sandalwood linebacker Kain Daub (6-3, 249), who is just a junior and already committed to visiting LSU, are just three of the big fish who will be visiting The Swamp today, as the Gators look to reel them in.

This is the kind of weekend about which coaches dream. Not only is it a huge conference matchup of unbeaten teams, but it's also an opportunity to roll out the hospitality in hopes of making a positive impression on the young, visiting talent.

Harris is on his third trip of the season, having already taken official visits to Texas and Oklahoma. His visit to Gainesville today is of the unofficial variety and won't likely be a deal-sealer, since he's tripped to The Swamp on numerous occasions. The atmosphere, however, could have somewhat of an impact in the back of his mind, like all those in attendance.

"I just want to go up there and see the game and see what they got going on," Harris said Friday night after Dr. Phillips moved to 6-0 on the season with a 29-7 win over Orlando Boone.

Harris will take his third official visit next weekend to Tallahassee for Florida State's game against Boston College. He will then look to fit in his other two official visits to the remaining schools on his top-six list, which consists of Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. Most likely, Harris will not take an official visit to UF given his familiarity with the program.

He said he enjoyed his trips to Oklahoma and Texas.

"It went well. They both talked to me and my mom about what they have going on there and everything," said Harris.

Harris lived in Gainesville until moving to the Orlando area in 2010. His grandmother still lives in Gainesville and his father, Mike Harris, played at UF. Marcell played two years at Winter Garden West Orange, a year at Groveland South Lake and now is in his senior season at Dr. Phillips.

Gainesville isn't far away for Tunsil, either, but that proximity and his having been a Gators fan growing up aren't necessarily pulling the big man toward The Swamp.

Tunsil the No. 1 rated tackle in the nation by Rivals.com, is also not expected to take an official visit to UF and has said his five official trips will be to Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss and Southern Cal.

The Gators know they'll have to come hard to land Tunsil and are still stinging from the 2011 spurn by Lake City Columbia DT Timmy Jernigan, who opted for FSU.

As for Daub (6-3, 227), it will take an even stronger Gators push to keep the player expected to be the state's top-ranked senior next year. Daub, who recently transferred to Sandalwood from St. Augustine Nease High, is ranked as the No. 7 player in the country by 247Sports.com, and he is the top linebacker nationally.

He too has been to The Swamp several times, so it will take an extraordinary atmosphere to turn the heads of these players who are already quite used to the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium experience.

The Gators will entertain nearly all of their 2013 list of 19 committed players and the only exceptions will be Brentwood, Tenn., QB Max Staver, who was in town for the Kentucky game two weeks ago, and Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer High DE Antonio Riles (6-4, 267). Riles could still show up.

The player expected to be the top running back in the nation for the 2015 class, Orlando Timber Creek's Jacques Patrick (6-2, 215), will be back at The Swamp today, and he'll have his usually contingent of Creek teammates with him — his brother and 2014 ATH Javonte Seabury (5-9, 160), 2013 S Chris Board (6-1, 205) and 2014 QB Stuckey Mosley (6-4, 170).

Patrick said that while the outcome of today's game might have an impact on the thinking of some of the senior recruits, it won't be something that sways his decision, although the atmosphere could.

"It won't effect me because I'm a 2015 guy and most of those guys will be gone," Patrick said. "

Gators' 2013 commit Quinton Powell of Daytona Beach Mainland will have a few other Volusia County neighbors in the house. Deland WR Dantwaun O'Neal (6-3, 192), fresh off a nine-catch, 229-yard performance in the Bulldogs upset of Orange Park Fletcher on Friday night, will be visiting.